Remembrance
by alex.zabini
Summary: Ginny misses Harry in her final months at Hogwarts.


Ginny stared vacantly across the seemingly endless lake glinting in the sun. The sunlight threaded through her hair, lighting up the vibrant red further. Her chocolate brown eyes were contemplative, a look her friends had quickly gotten accustomed to. It was May and Ginny had but a month left at Hogwarts.

'I'm not ready,' she thought to herself with a sigh, 'Not ready to be out on my own, not ready to leave all my friends…..not ready to see Harry again.'

Resting her head on the palm of her hand, elbow on her knee, Ginny wondered if he had changed at all. She wondered if his crooked smile had straightened out. Were his teeth still blinding and his grin huge? Perhaps his scar had faded, or his blazing green eyes less intense. She cracked a smile, thinking wryly that they certainly couldn't get any more intense. The second her eyes met his, her heart raced and a blush fought its way onto her cheeks. The second his hand touched her, electricity sped through her body. And when his lips touched hers - Ginny forgot everything else.

***

Ginny pulled the thick comforter up to her chest and curled up as tight as she could on her left side. She always slept facing the door, ever since Fred and George busted into her room when she was 4 years old with their wands out and pounced on her bed. Ginny thought she was going to die. From then on, she decided if she was going to die in her bed, at least she was going to face it head on.

It was pitch black and out the window the moon hovered, keeping watch. Classes started early tomorrow, as always, but thoughts of Harry kept her mercilessly awake. She wondered if he was in his own bed, missing her. Ginny doubted it. Knowing Harry, he was fast asleep, his raven hair a mess on the pillow. His glasses would be strewn carelessly next to his wand on the nearest flat surface. Harry made sure to keep them close at all times – he was blind as a bat without them. Smirking, Ginny remembered when Ron stole them right off his head over the Christmas holidays.

"_Ron! Give those back, you git!" Harry yelled, shuffling cautiously forward. _

_Ron chuckled, waving them around in the air. "You gotta come and get them. Catch me if you can!"_

_Harry advanced towards him with a scowl etched on his face until the bedside table and his right leg met. He yelped in pain. Hermione started giggling despite herself. Harry whipped his head around, searching for her. He squinted, glaring at what he thought was Hermione. It was his dresser. Hermione giggled harder which in turn set Ginny off._

"_Thanks a lot, guys," Harry groaned. _

_Harry ran into 2 walls, a chair, and Ron's bed before Ron finally relented and handed him his glasses. As soon as they were firmly on his head, Harry tackled Ron to the ground and a wrestling match commenced._

Ginny was surprised to find herself blinking back tears at the fond memory. Pushing her covers down to her knees, she closed her eyes tight and tried to block out all thoughts but sleep.

***

Flying on her worn broomstick alone on the Quidditch field, Ginny was enjoying the quiet. It was a typical warm, sunny Saturday morning. The trees swayed side to side gently in the breeze and birds chirped merrily.

There were 3 weeks left of school and most of the students were either outside chatting with their friends or inside sleeping. Ginny had always been an earlier riser. She was one of the only earlier risers in her family, Charlie and her dad being the others. Hermione was also an early riser, Ginny noted. It was one of the few things she and her best female friend had in common; otherwise they were as opposite as can be. Hermione unconsciously reminded her of Harry and Ginny groaned.

"I'm officially pathetic," she declared out loud.

Once her mind was on him, she knew it was stuck there. Ginny could almost hear him bellowing orders across the field. She imagined Ron hovering above the middle hoop, eyes narrowed in concentration, the bludger barreling for players to strike, Harry searching for both the snitch and for mistakes. She could almost feel Harry's gaze on her and recalled how hard she had to fight to stay focused. Her only consolation was, to her surprise, that he had to struggle nearly as hard.

***

Ginny ducked a spell Luna shot at her, the yellow beam of light whipping past her ear with a soft whoosh. Twisting and flicking her wrist, she fired her specialty – the bat bogey hex – in Luna's direction. The Ravenclaw didn't duck fast enough and it hit her in the shoulder.

"Sorry, Luna," she said, a half smile twisting her lips as she intently watched her friend swat the bats away from her face.

Ginny was pretty sure she saw her friend shrug beneath the swarm of bats before a Jelly-Legs curse made contact with her stomach and she promptly began wobbling around helplessly.

"Sorry, Gin," Luna mocked, the bats beginning to disappear and a twinkle in her eye.

"Just lift it already!" Ginny groaned, although Luna could see the amusement still etched on her features.

With a dramatic sigh, Luna lifted it. "It's a good thing you're in danger from the Sorifohs. They love to prey on those hexed with Jelly-Legs."

Her voice was completely serious and Ginny couldn't help but laugh. No matter how devastated she felt or how frustrated she was, Luna always brightened up her day, often without even meaning to.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Luna stuck her tongue out at Ginny, knowing the redhead wouldn't remember the perils of Sorifohs two minutes later. Ginny's mind was lately preoccupied with thoughts of green eyes and lightning scars. Luna could sympathize – she caught herself missing Neville more and more as the school year grew to an end. She didn't have the same insecurities that Ginny held, not being one for worrying, but she missed him all the same.

Seeing the look in the blonde's eyes had reminded Ginny of Harry and memories had flooded her. Every day away from him was another turn of the knife in her heart, another fear to pop up. She felt pathetic. If there was one thing Ginny hated, it was feeling useless and weak. Determined to not completely transform into another lovesick, dependent girl, Ginny shook the thoughts from her mind.

"Our duel isn't over yet, you know," Ginny said brightly, her voice not betraying the traces of melancholy in her brown eyes.

Luna smiled at her best friend and lifted her wand, an unspoken agreement passing between them to forget about the boys for now.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

***

Ginny collapsed on the Gryffindor table next to Colin, her red hair still tousled from sleep.

"G'morning sunshine!" Colin greeted her, smiling brightly.

Ginny glared. "You are way too cheerful in the mornings."

"It's not my fault I'm a morning person."

Ginny glared harder and piled a tall heap of pancakes onto her plate.

Colin gaped at her incredulously. "Are you sure you can eat all that?"

"I'm hungry today, okay?"

Colin shrugged. "Okay."

There was silence for what must have been a record 2 minutes before Colin cheered, "Chocolate filled croissants! My favourite!"

Ginny's head shot up, suddenly wide awake.

Colin snorted. "I take it they're your favourite too?"

Ginny slowly nodded, her gaze locked on the French food. The last time she had a chocolate filled croissant was with Harry over the winter holidays.

"_Are those croissants I smell?" Harry asked, a large grin on his face._

_Ginny turned around, left hip pressed into the counter and left hand resting gently on top of it. "It's certainly not my shampoo."_

_Harry's grin widened. "I love croissants."_

"_I know," Ginny said with a faint blush colouring her cheeks._

_Harry walked forward in his customary long strides, picking one up and gazing at it with obvious reverence. He took a bite and chewed agonizingly slow, Ginny waiting for the results anxiously. _

"_Ginny…" he said slowly. _

_She wondered if he was torturing her on purpose. "Yes, Harry?"_

"_Are these chocolate filled?"_

"_Yes, actually."_

_He then stuffed the whole thing into his mouth, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Ron._

"_Real charming, Harry," Ginny giggled. "I guess that means you approve?"_

"_Do I approve? Are you kidding me? These are the best croissants I've ever had!" _

_Ginny couldn't help the pleased smile that lit up her face. Harry's eyes softened and he took her right hand in his, pulling her against him tightly. Ginny slid her arms around his neck and he bent his head down to kiss her sweetly. _

***

Ginny spread her arms wide, squirming as the slender grass blades poked at her freckled skin. Her eyes were closed, her chest rising and falling steadily with every breath. She was enjoying the rare peace. The hallways of Hogwarts were a roller coaster. Every head of unruly black hair she saw – and there were more than you would expect – caused her heart to leap into her throat. A glimpse of green eyes and her breath quickened. Entering the common room only reminded her of their first kiss. Ginny was almost glad to be leaving here soon, if only so she could live without fearing for her sanity.

The other day, Professor McGonagall smiled at her and to her horror, she recalled Harry's white smile. Professor McGonagall of all people! Ginny sighed dramatically. She really was hopeless. Was every relationship like this? Her previous ones sure weren't.

None of them could possibly compare to Harry, always in the back of her mind.

Hermione and Ron squabbled like cats and dogs, but everyone knew they were crazy for each other. Luna and Neville were oddballs, not openly affectionate but Ginny found them adorable all the same. Bill and Fleur's relationship she flat out didn't understand. Charlie had his flavours of the week and Percy was too obsessed with his job to connect with anyone. George and Angelina were contstantly on and off. Ginny didn't think anyone was as crazy about their significant other as she seemed to be, but then again, she _was_ biased.

***

Ginny listened to Luna wave her hands around passionately, informing Ginny in great detail about the Crumple Horned Snorkack. Ginny nodded every few minutes, pretending to be listening. It was their last day at Hogwarts and everything seemed so surreal. Ginny felt like she was dreaming. It felt like she was just 10 years old, begging her mother to let her go to Hogwarts her older brothers.

She realized after a minute or two that Luna was silent, sitting down with her legs straight out, ankles crossed, and leaning on her hands resting firmly on the dirt and grass behind her back. She didn't say a word, simply sitting there letting Ginny think. Luna had never been one to obsessively avoid silence.

"It all goes by so fast," Ginny murmured, almost to herself.

Luna nodded, sensing Ginny wasn't done.

"I feel like I'm about to leave a part of myself behind. This has been a second home to me for 7 years. It has so many memories, both good and bad….being possessed by Voldemort, Michael and Dean, The Triwizard Tournament, the Yule Ball, Fred and George's huge dramatic exit, the Final Battle, Harry…… "

Her voice trailed off and she helplessly shrugged.

"I know exactly how you feel," Luna told her softly.

Ginny smiled sadly at her and Luna did the same.

"No matter what happens, I'm always your friend and I'm always here for you."

"Same to you, Gin."

***

Ginny's hands would not stop trembling, to her displeasure. It was just Harry. She was only going to see the one person she loved more than anything for the first time in months. Nothing much, nothing much at all. Luna and Neville had reunited earlier and Ginny couldn't keep the smile off her face as she watched them whisper to one another, hands entwined. They were practically glowing. She could only hope she had the same luck.

Tapping her fingers methodically against her thigh, Ginny leaned against a thriving pine tree, vivid green leaves rivaling even Harry's eyes in colour. She willed her heart to slow.

"It's just Harry!" Ginny snapped at herself aloud, frowning.

She caught Luna's eyes from where she was standing with Neville and Luna sent her a reassuring smile. Ginny gave her a strained smile and Luna turned her head back to Neville. Ginny scanned the area, eyes seeking a certain tall, dark, and handsome. Her heart suddenly began pounding and her stomach did flip flops as she saw Harry searching for her. Without even thinking about it, Ginny burst into a run, feet slapping against the ground. There was only one word in her mind and that was Harry.

As she got closer, his eyes met hers and the largest smile she'd ever seen from him stretched his face. He strode towards her purposefully, bright green eyes never leaving hers once. The distance between them wasn't that wide, but to Ginny it felt like miles and miles before she flung herself into his grasp, arms squeezing her tight.

She buried her face into his shoulder, refusing to cry. Ginny could feel his heart pounding as hard as she knew hers was. Pulling back slightly, she tilted her neck to examine the face she hadn't seen in far too long.

"Your hair is longer," she commented breathlessly.

Harry chuckled. "So is yours."

Ginny didn't wait a second longer to crash her lips onto his and tangle her hands in the raven hair she missed so much. His hands rested on her hips and Ginny wondered how she ever managed to live for months without this.

"I missed you so much," she said, her words slightly bashful.

"I didn't know it was possible to miss someone as much as I missed you."

"I love you," Ginny said, locking her chocolate eyes onto his green ones.

"I love you too, Gin," Harry replied before kissing her again.


End file.
